Karin's beloved cat, who dies just before the series starts.  Later on Shii-chan reappears housing the goddess of victory Nike, who traditionally accompanies Athena, Karin's goddess.

Karin Hanazono is an orphan, living with her relatives. Her life has never been easy, her studies are not well, she is not the best in sports and technically she is miserable. Left with only a ring as a memento from her departed mother, she suddenly finds her life changed, as she was mourning her pet cat, Shii-chan. On that night she met a strange boy, Kazune Kujyou. After that event, she experiences several mysterious incidences that soon led her to find out that she is a little goddess. Finding others like her she soon sets out to understand herself better as her mysterious powers grow and she becomes beset by opponents. <br><br>
(Source: Anime News Network)

Karin is an average girl...at best. She's not good at sports and gets terrible grades. Plus, her parents are dead and her beloved cat Shii-chan just died, too. She is miserable...but everything is about to change. Because little does Karin know that her mother's ring has the power to make her a goddess! Soon she and Kazune, a brusque but cute boy with godlike powers of his own, will have to fight to protect Karin's ring and Kazune's cousin Himeka from the evil forces of Kirio Karasuma...who has divine designs of his own.<br><br>
(Source: Tokyopop)